The Indian government is actively considering a significant change: extending the tenure of its parliamentary standing committees to two years. This proposal comes after numerous lawmakers voiced concerns that the current one-year term simply doesn’t provide enough time for these crucial bodies to make truly meaningful contributions.
A final decision on this extension is anticipated after thorough consultations with key parliamentary figures, including Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and Rajya Sabha Chairman C P Radhakrishnan.
These parliamentary panels, often aptly called ‘mini-parliaments’ due to their vital role in legislative oversight, typically begin their new terms in late September or early October, with the exact date depending on their formal constitution.
Sources within Parliament reveal that the push for a longer tenure originated from members themselves. They argue that a two-year term would significantly empower the committees, enabling them to delve deeper and more effectively address the complex subjects selected for their scrutiny and deliberation.
These committees are established shortly after a new Lok Sabha is formed. Their composition and leadership are determined through careful consultation with various political parties, ensuring that the chairmanships are distributed proportionally to each party’s strength in the House.
While committees are formally reconstituted annually, the chairman nominated at the beginning of a new Lok Sabha’s term generally retains their position for subsequent years, unless a specific request for a change is put forth by a political party.
Furthermore, it’s not uncommon for individual members to express a desire to serve on a different committee. Such requests are typically given favorable consideration by the presiding officers of both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.
Currently, the parliamentary structure includes 24 department-related standing committees. Of these, eight are presided over by members from the Rajya Sabha, while the remaining sixteen are led by members from the Lok Sabha.
Beyond these standing committees, India’s parliamentary system also encompasses various other types of committees, such as financial committees and ad-hoc committees, which are formed periodically to review specific bills and address other pressing issues as they arise.